George f



G. F. LONG.

FLEXIBLE SHAFHNG.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12. 1913.

1 ,1 93,277. Patented Aug. 1, 1 916.,

1m 4 a num- W/T/VESSES I,"

A TTOR/VEYS GEORGE E. LONG, or ELMI-IURST, NEW YORK, AssIenoR T0 eorrrnrnn YORK, N. Y.

PIEL, on NEW FLEXIBLE SHAFTING.

Application filed December 12, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE F. LONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmhurst, in the borough of Queens of the city of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Shafting, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a flexible shafting comprising a plurality of stamped metal links for transmitting power and relates particularly to shafting adapted for use in connection with speedometer-s on automobiles or other vehicles.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a flexible shafting composed of rigid links which may be curved both in a horizontal and a vertical plane and which is capable of transmitting power with a minimum amount of lost motion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shaft which can be readily assembled and the links held in operative position with relation to each other without requiring any additional operation on the links after the same have been put in place.

The various other objects of the invention will be more fully set forth in the following description of one form of flexible shaft embodying my invention that is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation showing several sections or links of my improved shaft connected together. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the shell members or links. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the shell members or links. Fig. l is an end view of one of the shell members or links. Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken respectively on the lines 6-6 and 5-5 of Fig. 2. Figs. 7 and 8 are end and side views respectively of o'neof the bar members or links.

The shaft is iformed of a plurality of links comprising shells 1 and the bars 2 arranged longitudinally. The bar links are provided at each end with a flattened head 3 having pivot pins 4 projecting on opposite sides thereof. The heads on each bar are prefera'bly arranged in planes approximately perpendicular to each other. The shanks 5 of the bar links are preferably rounded adja cent to the heads to form bearing surfacest.

The shell l inlrs comprise a substantially cylindrical central portion 7 formed of a stamped sheet metal blank by bending the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

Serial No. 806,238.

same upon itself until the adjacent edges 8 are separated by a narrow passageway 9 to receive the head 3 of the bar.

The walls of the shell are notched as at 10 to permit the pivot pins of the bar link to enter the central cavity or recess of the shell. The rear wall 11 of the shell is cut away as at 12 forming end portions 14 that are integral with the side walls of the shell and the edges of said end portions are curved to form suitable bearing surfaces 15. The central part 16 of each end portion is substan tiallyfiush with the side walls, but the outer annulus or segment 17 of each end portion is flattened and is depressed adjacent to the central or tubular portion of the shell. The depressed parts of each pair of end portions converge toward each other as at 18 forming a bearing for the flattened head of the bar link. The outer edges of the segments 17 are flared outwardly however, to permit a rocking movement of the bar link.

The central parts of the end portions are provided interiorly with grooves 20 which communicate with the interior of the shell and provide bearings for the pivot pins or trunnions when the shaft is assembled.

The bar links are secured to the shell links by inserting the pivot pins or trunnions through the notches 10 and moving the same forward until the pivot pins or trunnions engage in the grooves. .The bar link is then swung on said pivot pins until the links are in alin'em'ent with each other. Displacement of the links by rearward movement is pre vented by the shoulders or bearing surfaces 6 which are provided on the bar link coming into contact with the rounded edge 15 of the shell. When it is desired to detach the parts, the bar link is again swung at substantially right angles to the shell which causes the shoulder 6 to clear the bearing surface on the shell and thus permits the bar to be moved rearwardly until the pivot pins or trunnions are again opposite the notches 10.

By means of this construction the, links may be stamped from sheet metal blanks and then assembled without further operation or manipulation of any kind. The converging hearing surfaces formed by pressing end portions together prevent any lost motion when the links are twisted or rotated as when power is being transmitted. The flaring ends of the end portions however, permit a certain amount of rocking movement" of the links with respect to each other so that the shaft can be bent on a curve having a very short radius and this lateral curving of the shaft can also be effected independently of any curvature of-the shaft in a vertical plane. a

= Although I have shown only one form of mechanism embodying my invention, it is obvious that various changes within the skill of the mechanic may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, provided the means set forth in the following claims be employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim I 1. A flexible shaft composed of a plurality of sections, one of said sections comprising a metal shell having a longitudinal ing a metal shell having a tubular central portion with its'side walls spaced apart to provide a longitudinal passage communicating with the interior, an extension integral with each side wall and flush therewith and provided with an interior bearing, and an annular segment integral with the side wall and surrounding each extension, said segment being depressed to form a bearing surface adjacent the central portion and flaring at its outer ends, and a separate section being pivoted to the shell section and provided with a flat head having a bearing on said depressed portion of the shell.

3. A flexible shaft composed of a pluraL ity of sections, one of said sections'compris ing a central portion substantially circular in cross-section and having a longitudinal passageway communicating with the interior thereof, and end portions integral with the side walls each comprising a central portion having an interior bearing formed therein and an annular outer portion depressed with respect to the central portion and flaring at its outer ends, and a separate section having a bearing engagement inside the shell and provided with a flat head adapted to engage the" depressed portion.

4:. A flexible shaft composed of a plural ity of sections, one of said sections consisting of a one piecehollow shell formed from a sheet metal blank having spaced side walls provided with flaring ends and a bottom wall integral with the side walls intermediate the ends thereof, said ends comprising extensions flush with the side walls having grooves formed on the interior thereof communicating with the interior of the shell to provide a bearing spaced from the adjacent end and a portion depressed relatively provided with flaring ends and a bottom wall integral with the side walls intermediate the ends thereof, said ends comprising extensions flush with the side walls having grooves formed on the interior thereof communicating with the interior of the shell to provide a bearing spaced from the adjacent end and a portion depressed relatively to said extensions.

6. As an article of manufacture, an element adapted to form part of a flexible shaft, said element comprising a one-piece channel member, an end of said member having oppositely disposed walls and each of said walls having a socket formed therein, said sockets together forming a bearing spaced from the adjacent end of the member and adapted to receive a coacting element of the shaft, said channel member providing an opening leading to said bearing whereby the bearing engaging portion of the coacting element may be inserted through said opening and then moved longitudinally of the element onto said bearing.

7.111 a device of the class described, a

pair of links adapted'to form a unitof a flexible shaft and comprising a one-piece sheet metal shell with its center portion substantially tubular and having similar bearings adjacent opposite ends and opening into the interior thereof, and a link designed to be pivoted to either end of said shell, said link having a lateral pivot pin insertible into either of said bearings and locked from an unseating movement relative to the engaged bearing when said link forms a prolongation of said shell. 8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a link having parallel end walls, of a co-acting link having a portion disposed between said walls, a pivotal connection being provided between said walls and said portion, one of said links having a rib bearing on the other link and passing through the axis of said pivotal connection to provide a line contact between the said walls and said portion.

9. A flexible chain including two elements pivotally linked together, the opposite ends of each element being of similar conflgura' tion; one of said elements comprising a channel shaped member with the sides spaced apart to form a longitudinally extending opening communicating with the interior thereof and coextensive with the length of the channel shaped member, a bearing being formed in the member adjacent one end thereof and accessible from the interior of the member, the other element comprising a body portion designed to slide along said longitudinally extending opening toward the bearing and a trunnion pin projecting from said body portion and designed to-be contained within the channel member and to be seated in said bearing from the interior of the channel member and a stop on said other element for preventing the pin from moving from said bearing while the elements are alined and designed to permit the unseating of the pin when the elements are angularly disposed relative to each other.

10. As an article of manufacture, an element adapted to form part of a flexible shaft, said element comprising a one-piece sheet metal shell including side walls curved to form a substantially cylindrical central 1 portion with adjacent longitudinal edges separated to form a narrow passageway, one of said edges being notched intermediate its length to increase the width of the passageway at this point, and substantially parallel end portions extending beyond the central cylindrical portion at one end thereof, the central portion of each end portion being substantially flush with the side walls and the outer portion of each of said end portions being flat, the central parts of each end portion being provided with grooves designed to provide bearings for a coacting element of the flexible chain, the distance between the bottoms of said grooves being substantially equal to the width of said passageway at the notched edge of the side wall.

11. As an article of manufacture, an element adapted to form part of a flexible shaft, said element comprising a one-piece sheet metal shell including side walls curved to form a substantially cylindrical central portion with adjacent longitudinal edges separated to form a narrow passageway, and substantially parallel end portions extending beyond the central cylindrical portion at one end thereof, the central portion of each end portion being substantially flush with the side walls and the outer portion of each of said end portions being flat, the central portions of each end portion being provided with grooves designed to provide bearings for a coacting element of the flexible chain.

12. As an article of manufacture, an element adapted to form part of a flexible shaft, said element comprising a one-piece sheet metal shell including side walls curved to form a substantially cylindrical central portion with adjacent longitudinal edges separated to form a narrow passageway, and substantially parallel end portions ex tending beyond the central cylindrical portion at one end thereof, thecentral portion of each end portion being substantially flush with the side walls and the outer portion of each of said end portions being flat, the central portions of each end portion being provided with grooves designed to provide bearings for a coacting element of the flex ible chain, said end portions diverging from the central portion of the shell and having rounded edges designed to engage the coacting element at widely spaced apart points should the coacting element and the shell tend to telescope each other when forming parts of the flexible shaft.

This specification signed and witnessed this 11th day of December, 1913.

GEORGE F. LONG.

Signed in the presence of- MABEL J. COOPER, DOROTHY DAWES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

